Firing range

ABSTRACT

Shooting range ( 1 ) for example for the target practice of a user, in particular the firing range which the present invention relates to is eco-sustainable. The firing range ( 1 ) comprises a dynamic sound suppression apparatus ( 100 ), an energy recovery system ( 300 ) and a recovery system of residual materials ( 500 ).

The present invention relates to a firing range, for example for targetpractice by a user, in particular the firing range of the presentinvention is eco-sustainable.

Firing ranges of the most varied types are known of; for example firingranges suitable for practising Olympic disciplines such as “DoubleTrap”, “Olympic Trap”, and “Skeet” are known of; other types of firingrange suitable for practising disciplines not recognised at an Olympiclevel, such as “Electrocibles”, “Universal Trench”, “Hunting course”,and “Fast Sports Shooting” are also known of; “classic” firing rangesare also known of where the shooter aims at a fixed or mobile targetpositioned substantially in front of him.

In all these cases, as in others not mentioned, firing ranges arestructures which are generally located in open spaces inasmuch asinvolving a series of difficulties, related to pollution in particular.

First of all the problem of noise pollution is deeply felt in the areasurrounding the firing range due to the noise of the shots propagated inthe firing range and from the firing range for a considerable radius.

Particularly, depending on the type of firearm, the fact that noiseextends from the firing range over a wide radius and volume is extremelyproblematic.

Secondly, the recovery and cleaning of the firing area is decidedlycomplex, polluted by waste materials such as for example the shots firedfrom rifles or the clay pigeons to be hit by the shooters.

Moreover such structures have massive overheads.

Such problems, whether considered singly or combined with each otherhave encouraged the decision not to open firing ranges in certain areasas opposed to deciding to close existing firing ranges.

In the prior art such problems have not been resolved, and noise ispropagated for several hundred metres from the firing range.

Current firing ranges are therefore situated as far away fromresidential urban areas as possible, where the aforementioned issues arenot a problem; for example in quarries or the like.

The purpose of the present invention is to create an eco-sustainablefiring range suitable for resolving all these problems. This way thefiring range in question may be situated where desired, withoutrestriction.

Further details of the characteristics and advantages of the inventionwill be more clearly comprehensible from the following description madeby way of a non-limiting example with reference to the appended drawingsshowing possible embodiments of the firing range according to theinvention:

FIG. 1 is a scheme of the firing range according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the dynamic sound suppression apparatus ofthe firing range according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a further scheme of the firing range according to theinvention, in one embodiment, wherein a solution of the dynamic soundsuppression apparatus is represented.

According to the appended drawings reference numeral globally denotesthe firing range according to the invention.

The firing range 1 comprises a firing area 2, suitable for accommodatinga user or users, generally, depending on the discipline practised, thefiring area comprises special stands 25 which the user positions himselfin for shooting.

The firing range 1, further comprises an embankment 3, suitable forproviding a barrier to the exploded bullets so as to stop them thanks toits presence.

Said embankment 3 is distanced in relation to the firing area 2 in thedirection in which the user aims. In other words, the embankment 3 ispreferably positioned substantially in front of the firing area 2 in thefiring direction of the user.

In addition the firing range 1 comprises an intermediate area 5,positioned between the firing area 2 and the embankment 3.

In a preferred embodiment, targets, fixed rather than mobile, arepositioned some distance away from the firing area 2, preferably nearthe embankment 3, at the end of the intermediate area 5, which theshooter fires at.

The embankment 3 acts as a barrier to the progress of the bulletsmissing the target in their course.

In a further embodiment, the shooter must fire at moving targets, suchas clay pigeons.

The firing range 1 therefore comprises a launching area 6 suitable forhousing the launching machines 60 specifically for launching claypigeons.

In a preferred embodiment, the launching area 6 is positionedsubstantially in a position in front of the firing area 2.

In a further embodiment variation, the launching area 6 is positionedsubstantially in a position to the side of the firing area 2.

In some embodiment variations the launching area 6 is at the same or agreater height than the firing area 2, consequently the launchingmachines are external; in other embodiment variations the launching area6 is at a lower level than the firing area 2, consequently the launchingmachines 60 are buried or entrenched.

When the shooter fires at a clay pigeon such as in clay pigeon shootingsports, he/she usually uses a rifle; in particular bullets are usuallyfired containing a quantity of shot which opens when shot to form a shotpattern.

Generally speaking, only a part of the shot composing the patternstrikes the clay pigeon. The shot which does not come into contact withthe clay pigeons will therefore fall on the embankment 3.

The clays which are missed, as also the parts of the clay broken byimpact with some of the shot and said shots hitting the target, willcome to fall in the intermediate area 5.

The intermediate area 5 is therefore suitable to receive any residualmaterials produced during the firing activity.

Said residual materials comprise for example the bullets, shot,cartridges, clays and portion of clays, etc.

The firing area 2 preferably comprises means of shelter to protect theshooters in the firing area 2, for example in the stands 25 from the sunand/or weather conditions.

The shelter means comprise, in a preferred embodiment, a roof 20; theroof 20 is positioned at a certain height so as to cover the shooters.The roof 20 is held in such position by a load-bearing structure

Preferably, said load-bearing structure comprises shafts or columns; oragain the load-bearing structure comprises walls 22.

In one embodiment, on the side adjacent to the intermediate area 5, headon to the embankment 3, of the firing area 2 no wall is provided orholes or spaces are provided on the wall, if present, to permit firingat the target.

In one embodiment, the roof 21 and the walls 22 are covered in amaterial suitable for deadening, preferably limiting, the propagation ofsound, such as sound absorbent panels 27.

In a preferred embodiment, the firing range 1 comprises a dynamic soundsuppression apparatus 100, suitable for minimising and annulling thenoise caused by the shots outside the firing area 2; in other words, thedynamic sound suppression apparatus 100, is suitable for minimising ifnot annulling the noise caused by the shots in the area occupied by thefiring range 1 and in the surrounding area.

In particular the dynamic sound suppression apparatus 100, comprises adetector device of the sound caused by the shots and a suppression soundplayer device, operatively connected to the detector device.

Specifically, the detector device of the sound of the shots is suitablefor detecting the sound caused by a shot; while the sound player deviceis suitable for reproducing a sound substantially similar, but inpush-pull, preferably changed by 180 degrees in phase, in relation tothe noise of the explosion of the firearm.

In other words, the sound player device is suitable for reproducing asound having similar spectral characteristics and breadth of signal, butin push-pull, that is generated by an “anti-sound” preferably changed by180 degrees in phase, in relation to the noise of the explosion of thefirearm.

In particular the sound made by the sound player device is suitable tointerfere at least partially in a destructive manner with the soundcaused by the shots.

In other words, in the area of the firing range, preferably external tothe firing area 2, and in the surrounding area, the sum of the soundwaves is substantially null; consequently there is no substantialpropagation of noise.

That is to say that the sum of the waves generated by the shot andreproduced by the dynamic suppression system, is substantially null;there is therefore a considerable reduction of the sound emitted at thefiring station.

In particular the sound detector device comprises at least onemicrophone 101 suitable for picking up or detecting a sound caused by afirearm.

In particular the sound player device comprises at least one megaphone,(membrane) loudspeaker, or at least one booster 102 suitable to play asuppression sound.

Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the dynamic sound suppressionapparatus 100, comprises analysis and processing means 103.

Preferably, said analysis and processing means 103 are suitable forplacing the sound detector device in communication with the sound playerdevice.

Specifically, in a preferred embodiment, the analysis and processingmeans are suitable for placing the microphone 101 in operativecommunication with the megaphone or loudspeaker 102.

The analysis and processing means 103 are suitable for picking up thefiring signal by means of the sound detector device and of generating asignal transmitted to the suppression sound player device.

The analysis and processing means 103 comprise a processing unit 105suitable to analyse the signal picked up by the sound detector deviceand, depending on the characteristics of the sound caused by the shots,to select and/or calculate the appropriate suppression sound togenerate, for example calculating the appropriate spectral and energeticcharacteristics of the suppression sound.

In a preferred embodiment, the suppression sound emitted by the soundplayer device is the same sound emitted by the firearm but appropriatelypush-pulled, detected by the sound detector device.

The processing unit 105 preferably comprise a CPU.

The better the performance of the processing unit 105 the more the soundplayed is simultaneous to the sound of the shot fired; this way the sumof the two waves in push pull is substantially null, preferably in apoint in space near the firearm and can therefore not be propagated inthe surrounding space.

In one embodiment, the processing unit 105 is suitable for appropriatelypush-pulling the sound caused by the shots and ordering its playing,generation by the sound player device.

In a preferred embodiment, the analysis and processing means 103 alsocomprise memorisation means 106.

Said memorisation means 106 are suitable for storing data such assounds, or audio tracks, or sound spectra.

Depending on their capacity, the memorisation means 106 are a data bankof sounds of firearms being fired, or of the sound imprints of the soundof a shot.

In one embodiment, the processing unit 105 analyses the sound caused bythe firearm and picked up by the detector device; preferably it analysesthe sound spectra of the sound of the exploded bullet. Depending on theresults of the analysis the signal is sent to the suppression soundplayer device.

Such playing may take place in a number of ways.

In a preferred embodiment, in the analysis of the sound caused by thefirearm a suppression sound is played specular to the sound caused bythe firearm.

In a further embodiment, in the analysis of the sound caused by thefirearm a number of parameters are identified so as to compare the soundused by the firearm with the data stored in the memorisation means 106;once the sound player device finds the desired data in the memory 106,that is to say the most similar stored sound wave, that is suitable forattenuating that detected, it plays said found wave.

In a preferred embodiment, the “data bank” can be updated instantly; thefirst exploded shot is analysed by the processing unit 105 and stored inthe memorisation means 106. This way at the moment of the shotssubsequent to the first, the exact noise emitted by the firearm suitablypush-pulled, for example by 180°, is played as a suppression sound, bythe player device.

Such expedient is very useful in that the sound recorded and played alsotakes into consideration the environmental conditions of the, firingsession.

In a further embodiment, before starting to shoot the user chooses whattype of firearm and what type of ammunition to use. This way, upondetecting the sound of the first shot or shots fired, the sound of therifle already stored in the memory 106 is played; subsequently, asdescribed above, the recorded sound is stored and played. Advantageouslythis way the memory unit 105 has more time to analyse, record and updateif necessary the correct signal to play.

In one embodiment variation, the signal detector device comprises acertain number of microphones 101 positioned all along the firing rangearea in such a way as to pick up a certain number of sounds, soundspectra. Such signal will in turn be analysed by one or more analysisand processing means 103 so as to optimise the suppression soundalgorithm.

In a further embodiment variation, the suppression sound player devicecomprises a certain number of megaphones, or loudspeakers or in generalsound sources, 102 suitable to play various sounds in such a way thatthese interfere with each other in a destructive manner in every part ofthe firing range and the surrounding area. The aim is to completely andas efficiently as possible cancel out the sounds of the shots coveringthe entire area of the firing range and the surrounding area with thevarious sounds in push-pull.

In other words, destructive interferences take place starting from theshooting position and consequently the noise is deadened throughout thesurrounding area. The aim is to attenuate as much as possible in themost effective manner the noises of the shots to the benefit of theentire firing range and the surrounding area.

In one embodiment variation, the dynamic sound suppression apparatus 100is mobile and is able to move with the shooter along, for example, apredefined path.

In a preferred embodiment, the microphone 101 suitable for recording thesound of the shot, near the firearm, is the microphone used by theshooter to give the signal to launch the clay pigeon, for example inclay pigeon shooting.

In other words, since the noise all over the area occupied by the firingrange and, consequently the surrounding area, must be attenuated as faras possible, the dynamic sound suppression apparatus 100 comprises amultiplicity of signal detection devices, and similarly of sound playerdevices.

Specifically, in fact, around the firing area 2 the sound caused by theshots varies depending on the characteristics of sound directivity ofthe firearm. This means that the phase of the generated signal may alsovary in space. Similarly, the suppression sound played in push-pull bythe player device is variable in space.

It is therefore possible that in some areas the noise or sound is in anycase propagated in that the sound caused by the shots and thesuppression sound may not find themselves perfectly out of phase.

In a preferred embodiment, at the firing area 2 the dynamic soundsuppression apparatus 100 comprises a multiplicity of signal detectiondevices, and a multiplicity of player devices.

Preferably, the dynamic sound suppression apparatus 100, andspecifically, the player devices are facing in such a way as to play thesuppression sound in the direction in which the sound caused by theshots is propagated, preferably bearing in mind the directivity andorientation of the firearm.

In particular said multiplicity of detection devices, and similarly ofplayer devices, are positioned in such a way that they are appropriatelypositioned distanced from each other along the preferential directionsof sound propagation.

In other words, the sound caused by the shots, propagating itself, isdetected by a first detector or measurement device near the firing area2; a first player device emits a suppression sound at the detectedsound. A second microphone detects the residual sound caused by theshots after the interference and deals with adapting the system responseto improve the suppression of the noise. Preferably a second playerdevice is therefore provided which emits a new suppression soundsuitably out of phase with that detected to further reduce the soundemission. The sound of the shots is therefore dynamically suppressedover an extensive area and not in a limited space, in such a way thatthe sound of the shots does not cause acoustic pollution outside thefiring range.

In a preferred embodiment, analysis and processing means 103 are alsoenvisaged, connected in series, such as those described above, eachoperatively connected to a relative detector device and to a suppressiondevice; or, in one embodiment variation, the multiplicity of detectiondevices, and suppression devices, are controlled by the same analysisand processing means, operatively connected to all the devices.

In a further embodiment variation, the sound detection device ispositioned on the firearm.

In a further embodiment variation, the sound player device is positionedon the firearm.

In yet a further embodiment variation, the analysis and processing meansare positioned on the firearm.

In a preferred embodiment, both the sound detection device and theplayer device of the suppression sound are positioned on the firearm. Inparticular they can be physically fitted to the same; thereby realisinga portable dynamic sound suppression kit suitable for being fitted toany firearm.

The firing range 1 to which the present invention relates also comprisesa recovery system of residual materials 500.

In particular residual materials are taken to mean both the claypigeons, or parts of clay pigeons, and the shots/bullets which fall andremain on the ground, especially in the intermediate area 5, and whichare extremely pollutant inasmuch as the former contain hydrocarbons andthe latter lead.

Said system for recovering residual materials 9 is suitable fortransporting to a recovery area 7, also included in the firing range 1,the aforesaid residual materials, in such a way that it is always keptclean thereby preventing problems due to environmental pollution.

In particular said system for recovering residual materials 500comprises a main conveyor belt 501 suitable for performing theaforementioned task.

Specifically, the system for recovering residual materials 500 isdesigned so as to substantially cover the entire intermediate area 5.The movement of said main conveyor belt 501 means that all the wasteconsisting of shot, bullets, clay pigeons or the like, is transportedand accumulated in the recovery area 7, for example near the embankment3.

Preferably, the system for recovering residual materials 500 comprisesat least one secondary conveyor belt 502.

The secondary conveyor belt 502 is located substantially downstream ofthe embankment 3 and is substantially parallel to it.

Said secondary conveyor belt 502 moves the residues brought downstreamof the embankment 3 by the main conveyor belt 501, to the side of thefiring area 2, to the special recovery areal.

The secondary conveyor belt 502 is suitable for receiving andsubsequently moving, for example laterally, the shot, bullets or moregenerally the residues coming to stop against the embankment 3 and whichfalling move downstream.

In a preferred embodiment, the installation of an energy recovery systemis envisaged on the embankment 3.

In particular the energy recovery system comprises solar panels 301.

In a preferred embodiment, the energy recovery system 300 is connectedand supplies electricity to the dynamic sound suppression apparatus 100.

In a further preferred embodiment, the energy recovery system 300 isconnected and supplies electricity to the recovery system of residualmaterials 500.

In a preferred embodiment, the energy recovery system 300 is connectedand supplies electricity to both the dynamic sound suppression apparatus100 and to the recovery system of residual materials 500.

Innovatively, the firing range which the present invention relates toovercomes the aforementioned problems of pollution typical of the firingranges of the prior art.

In particular a dynamic sound suppression system has been innovativelyintroduced to overcome the problem of acoustic pollution; thanks to thissystem both the area of the firing range and the surrounding area aresubstantially decontaminated.

Advantageously the sound produced by the shots is suppressed withevident benefits both inside and outside the firing range. Preferably,advantageously it can be executed near the source of the shots. This waya comfortable environment is created inside the firing range both forthose shooting and for those inside it, such as the public, but aboveall a certain degree of comfort is achieved outside the firing range inthe vicinity.

Advantageously natural or artificial barriers to overcome the problem ofnoise are not needed In other words, the firing range which the presentinvention relates to does not need or may not need other specificsystems for soundproofing or noise abatement, the presence of thedynamic sound suppression apparatus being sufficient to achieve suchpurpose. Depending on the breadth of the firing range, for example ofthe number of stands present in the firing area, and depending on thetype of practice or sports activities played, and therefore on thefirearms used, the dynamic sound suppression apparatus comprises amultiplicity of detection devices and player devices opportunely locatedin the firing area and/or moving away from it. This way the sound causedby the shots is attenuated.

Advantageously the same noise of the shot fired is played in push-pull.

Advantageously in some embodiment variations the microphones used by theshooter to give the launching order of the clay pigeons are also used todetect the noise of the shot.

Advantageously the analysis and processing means comprise memorisationmeans suitable for containing the data of different noises caused bydifferent firearms or different ammunition.

Advantageously the analysis and processing means envisage the liverecording and use of noises; this way different environmental conditionsare also advantageously considered.

Advantageously a kit version of the dynamic sound suppression apparatusis envisaged so that it can be fitted to any firearm.

Advantageously before the firing session the sound of the firearm usedby the shooter may be selected so as to use, at least for the firstshots, as similar a recording as possible to the noise effectivelycaused by the firearm.

Moreover, innovatively a recovery system of the residual material isenvisaged to overcome the problem of pollution of the ground and water.

Advantageously this way the pollutant materials which could otherwisepollute the soil and later the water can be recovered at predefinedand/or predefinable intervals by the user.

Advantageously the system makes it possible to easily recover the wastein such a way as to easily recover and/or recycle it, thereby entailingeconomic benefits.

Advantageously said recovery operation need not be performed by aspecialised operator but is completely automatic.

Advantageously the recovery system of the residual materials envisagesthe recovery of both the materials which have “fallen” into theintermediate area and those “falling” onto, the embankment.

Innovatively furthermore the installation of an energy recovery systemis envisaged to make the entire invention self-sufficient, if notadvantageous.

Advantageously an area is used, that is to say the surface of theembankment, which is perfectly illuminated in that for obvious reasonsit faces the sun, given that the shooters must substantially have thesun behind them so as not to be blinded.

Advantageously electricity is thereby produced which may be stored orused subsequently by the other systems as above; or again may in turn besold, entailing self-sufficiency and economic income.

A person skilled in the art may make variations to the embodiments ofthe aforementioned firing range, replacing elements with othersfunctionally equivalent, so as to satisfy specific requirements.

In a further embodiment, in fact, the signal detection devices andsimilarly the sound player devices are movable around the area of thefiring range following the shooter, this way the detection devicesand/or player devices are movable in such a way as to position themwhere needed throughout the firing range, so as to create a uniformityof interference sound throughout said firing range, but also beyond it.

In other words, the detection devices and/or player devices can beopportunely positioned on the area of the firing range in such a way asnot to have areas where there is constructive interference between thesound caused by the shots and the suppression sound.

In a preferred embodiment, loudspeakers are envisaged with a maximumpower of over 500 Watts for example.

In a preferred embodiment, loudspeakers are envisaged with a sensitivityof over 93 dB.

Moreover, in a preferred embodiment, the loudspeakers have a frequencyresponse suitable for covering the entire sound emission spectrum of thefirearm.

In a preferred embodiment, the recovery system of the residual materialscomprises a separator device downstream of the conveyor belt or beltssuitable for dividing the residual materials collected. This way thepieces of clay pigeon are separated from the shot or from the bullets.

In a further preferred embodiment, the system for recovering residualmaterials comprises a robot suitable for gathering said materials.Preferably, said robot also divides the residual materials, or in oneembodiment variation, empties the residual materials collected into theseparator device as above.

Such variations also fall within the sphere of protection as defined bythe following claims.

Moreover, each variant described as belonging to a possible embodimentmay be realised independently of the other variations.

1. A firing range for example for the target practice of a user, comprising: firing area, suitable to accommodate the user; embankment, distanced in relation to the firing area in the direction in which the user aims, suitable to form an obstacle to the bullets exploded by the user; and a dynamic sound suppression apparatus comprising: a) a sound detector device of the sound caused by the shots; b) a suppression sound player device, operatively connected to the detector device, suitable to generate a suppression sound so as to interfere with the sound caused by the shots to dampen such at least partially, and suitable to operate in interference in the area of the shooting range and in the its surrounding area; the firing range is characterized by the fact that the suppression sound player device comprises memorization means suitable for storing data such as sounds, or audio tracks, or sound spectra and suitable for being a data bank of sound of the firearms being fired, or of the sound imprints of the sound of a shot.
 2. A firing range according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic sound suppression apparatus comprises processing and control means, which connect the sound detector device and the suppression sound player device, in such a way as to pick up the firing signal from the sound detector device and to generate a signal transmitted to the suppression sound player device.
 3. A firing range according to claim 2, wherein the processing means comprise a processing unit suitable to analyze the signal picked up by the sound detector device and, depending on the characteristics of the sound caused by the shots, to select and/or to calculate the appropriate suppression sound to generate.
 4. A firing range according to claim 1, wherein the sound caused by the shots is analyzed by the processing unit, stored by the memorization means and, if necessary, generated as a suppression sound in the push-pull stage.
 5. A firing range according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic sound suppression apparatus comprises a plurality of sound detector devices and a plurality of suppression sound player devices.
 6. A firing range according to claim 1, wherein the sound detector device comprises a plurality of microphones positioned all along the firing range area in such a way as to pick up a certain number of sounds, sound spectra.
 7. A firing range according to claim 1, wherein the suppression sound player device comprises a certain number of megaphones, or loudspeakers or sound sources, suitable to play various sounds in such a way that these interfere with each other in a destructive manner in every part of the firing range and the surrounding area.
 8. A firing range according to claim 1, wherein the dynamic sound suppression apparatus is mobile and is able to move with the shooter along a predefined path.
 9. A firing range according to claim 5, wherein said plurality of sound detector devices and/or said plurality of suppression sound player devices are positioned in such a way that they are appropriately positioned distanced from each other along the preferential directions of sound propagation.
 10. A firing range according to claim 1, further comprising: an intermediate area, positioned between the firing area and the embankment, suitable to receive the residual cartridge cases produced during the firing activity; a system for recovering the residual cartridge cases, comprising at least one conveyor belt for the transport of the residual cartridge cases contained in the intermediate area.
 11. A firing range according to claim 1, further comprising an energy recovery system such as solar panels positioned on the embankment, for the supply of electricity to the components of the firing range. 